Warning to people who buy products from Temu and Shein

European regulators have warned that Temu and Shein are selling hazardous products, including shoes, lingerie, and nail polish containing carcinogens, flammable children’s pyjamas, toxic slime, and dangerous toys.

The European Commission says that the highly popular online marketplaces operating out of China would be held accountable for selling unsafe products on their platforms.

Rapport reports that it was not only Europen regulators who have issued warnings about products on these platforms.

Last year, the US Consumer Product Safety Commission recalled 68,000 sets of children’s sleepwear from Temu, warning that they presented a fire hazard.

Malta’s Consumer Council ordered five types of children’s shoes to be withdrawn from Shein and Temu for high levels of cadmium, lead, phthalates and paraffin.

The International Cancer Institute classifies phthalates as carcinogenic and warns that prolonged contact with the human body should be avoided.

In November, South Korean authorities found that seven out of 26 children’s winter clothing products had extremely high toxin levels.

During their tests, they found a jacket for children containing phthalates 622 times above South Korea’s legal limit and a sweatshirt 294 times over the limit.

They also found two bottles of nail polish containing high levels of dioxane, a possible carcinogen that can also cause liver issues.

The Korea Times reported that authorities in Seoul found underwear sold by Shein contained more than three times the allowable levels of substances that can cause bladder cancer.

In addition to unsafe ingredients in products, the British Consumer Council reported heaters with severe electrical irregularities.

A MyBroadband investigation previously found that Temu is allowing merchants on its platform to sell electronics without the necessary regulatory approvals from South African authorities.

Sellers are offering products with radio transceivers, like Wi-Fi and Bluetooth dongles, that don’t have approval from the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (Icasa).

The platform also lets South Africans buy electrical devices with batteries or that connect to mains electricity without the necessary clearance from the National Regulator for Compulsory Specifications (NRCS).

These regulatory requirements exist to ensure devices can safely be connected to the electrical grid and don’t interfere with local wireless networks.

MyBroadband ordered three items from Temu to test whether the platform allows the sale of uncertified electronics.

All three products featured radio transmitters — two Wi-Fi and one Bluetooth. One of the Wi-Fi items was a smart switch that must be wired to mains power, requiring an NRCS letter of authority (LOA).

An inspection of the devices revealed that while they have U.S. FCC and European Union CE markings, none bore an Icasa sticker.

Searching the NRCS database for the item that needed an LOA also yielded no results.

Local distributors and importers have often complained that the processes to apply for regulatory clearance are onerous.

China-based sellers who export their goods to South Africa without the necessary approvals enjoy a substantial and unlawful advantage over those who follow the rules.

This is in addition to the South African Revenue Service (SARS) concession these platforms previously exploited to gain favourable tax rates on imported clothing.

An industry source with over thirty years of experience in trade logistics and customs told MyBroadband that customs officers are responsible for checking for NRCS certificates.

The source, who is currently working for a prominent international transport and logistics company, spoke on condition of anonymity.

They said any product with a built-in battery or that gets plugged into mains power must obtain an NRCS certificate.

“This confirms that the product complies with the South African standards for safety,” the expert said.

MyBroadband contacted Temu and Shein for comment regarding the safety warnings issued about the products they sell.

Shein did not provide feedback by publication. However, it released a statement last week saying it would invest $15 million (R276 million) this year in product safety testing.

“Shein’s suppliers must comply with the relevant safety laws and regulations of the countries where we operate, as well as Shein’s control measures and standards as outlined in Shein’s restricted substances list,” it stated.

“Last year, the platform severed business ties with over 260 suppliers for failing to meet safety standards.”

Temu said it takes product safety very seriously and exercises strict control over the products offered on its platform.

“We have a comprehensive quality control system in place to prevent, detect, and remove non-compliant products and continuously refine and strengthen it to safeguard the interests of consumers,” stated Temu.

“Through seller vetting, product inspections, continuous monitoring, and rapid response to complaints and feedback, customers can shop with confidence and peace of mind on Temu.”

Temu said it collaborates with global leaders in testing and certification such as TÜV SÜD, TÜV Rheinland Group, SGS, and Bureau Veritas Group to ensure third-party seller products meet required standards.